Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to image scanning. In particular, the present disclosure relates to image scanning with an image capture device.
Description of Related Art
The majority of consumers in developed countries own an image capture device that is capable of scanning documents, and other objects, and creating digital images. Such devices include digital still cameras (“DSCs”), smartphones, tablets, or other similar electronic devices. These devices utilize an image sensor such as a semiconductor charge-coupled device (“CCD”) or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (“CMOS”). According to research group International Data Corporation, over one billion smartphones and over two hundred million tablets were sold worldwide in 2013. The majority of these devices contain at least one camera utilizing a CMOS image sensor. Further, the Camera & Imaging Product Association reported that over two hundred seventy-five million DSCs were sold between 2011 and 2013. Therefore, as used throughout this disclosure, the term “image capture device” can include a smartphone, a tablet, a DSC, or other devices that contain a camera component that can be used for image scanning.
Consumers have begun to use image capture devices as image scanners instead of purchasing, storing, and maintaining discrete dedicated scanners. Many smartphone and tablet software applications have been created to utilize those devices as image scanners. Examples of such applications include “CamScanner” from IntSig Information Co., Ltd and “Genius Scan” from The Grizzly Labs, SARL.
The term “dedicated scanner” may include flatbed scanners, photo scanners, and sheet-fed scanners. The term “dedicated scanner” may also include all-in-one scanners that are integrated with printers and other functions used in home or office settings. The small office/home office devices, commonly referred to as “SOHO,” are typically smaller form factor desktop devices. The regular office devices are large form factor, stand-alone devices that may not fit on a desktop, and are referred to by terms such as multifunctional peripheral (“MFP”), all-in-one (“AIO”), or multifunctional device (“MFD”).
Important documents, receipts and other objects can be image scanned with hand-held digital cameras that most consumers already own for other purposes, and the consumer or business can thereby avoid the expense of a dedicated scanner. Further, image capture devices may have advantages over dedicated scanners, as a hand-held device can be used to easily create digital images of three dimensional objects, large objects that would not physically fit into a dedicated scanner, or objects that cannot be physically moved to the location of the dedicated scanner, such as a whiteboard, street sign, or billboard. Moreover, image capture devices may not need to contact the scanned object physically as a dedicated scanner typically does. Objects or documents that are sticky, fragile, dirty, wet, or otherwise not conducive to imaging with a dedicated scanner can be scanned with an image capture device. Additionally, the use of an image capture device instead of a dedicated scanner typically may save time for the user because of the relative time it takes to operate those devices and the convenience that results from the portability of the image capture device. Finally, a dedicated scanner takes up considerable room on the desktop or in an office. Electronic form factors are typically minimized to reduce costs but also to minimize the space required for those devices in homes and offices. For the foregoing reasons, image capture devices are replacing the use of dedicated scanners for image scanning.
When using an image capture device instead of a dedicated scanner, there may be difficulties to overcome in order to create a high quality digital image. The difficulties may include adequately illuminating the scanned object, properly aligning the camera field of view to the object, and holding a paper object flat. These issues, if not suitably overcome, may result in a distorted digital image. Even a slight distortion can render a digital image of a paper object useless, as the printed information can be lost. Issues with illumination can result from non-uniformity of ambient light, shadows that are cast by the obstruction of ambient light by objects such as the device itself or the user's hand, and/or reflection of light from the camera's flash or from another light source off of the scanned object or a transparent object used to hold the scanned object flat. Issues regarding alignment of an image capture device to the object may be related to the distance from the capture device to the scanned object, the angle of the capture device related to the scanned object, the rotation of the capture device related to the scanned object, the potential to capture the full object in the scanned image, and the potential for the user's hand to shake while holding the capture device. Some potentially common uses of document scanning include scanning a receipt that has been carried in a wallet or pocket or scanning a letter that was folded to fit into an envelope. Holding such papers flat for scanning may pose problems, while a digital image of folded paper may be distorted and often not sufficient.
Another factor related to the use of a scanner to capture digital images of important objects, such as paper receipts and letters, relates to personal organization. Receipts and letters are typically received by a consumer every day. The majority of these papers may be discarded, lost, piled up, or filed into a traditional filing cabinet.